


Tumblr Drabbles

by runaway_train



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Drabble, Drabble Collection, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-14 05:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17502263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runaway_train/pseuds/runaway_train
Summary: A collection of very short Larry drabbles I wrote on my Tumblr blog.





	1. Bodyguard AU & Bathtub Fic

**Author's Note:**

> I received a request to put my Tumblr drabbles on to my ao3 account so here they are. They are based on this ['Trope Mashup'](http://runaway-train-works.tumblr.com/post/182094177755/fanfiction-trope-mash-up) post that followers asked for. It was a bit of silly fun so not much time or detail went into them! If you have any requests for more drabbles you can send me a message on my [Tumblr](http://runaway-train-works.tumblr.com). 
> 
> Each chapter is titled with what the two tropes were that were requested. 
> 
> **Please note these are NOT TAGGED as the tags would get ridiculously messy. Most are trigger free but some may include swearing, mentions of blood, violence or sex. Proceed with caution.***

Louis had thought he’d heard it all in his time from people like this guy, but he had been mistaken.

“You’re not watching me have a bath.”

Harry frowns. Well, keeps frowning, if you want to be pedantic about it, but the little crease between his eyebrows has deepened so much Louis thinks he might be able to keep loose change in there. “That’s not what I’m trying to do here Master Tomlinson, I’m trying to protect you.”

So he’s going to keep calling Louis that, is he? After all they have been through? “By guarding me while I’m naked?”

The tendon in Harry’s neck quivers in the pause before he answers. “No. The windows are too large in the bathroom and make for an easy target if anyone is watching this location. I have been instructed to keep you here until a suitable safe house has been commandeered and fully swept and I have been given the go ahead to move you.”

It’s the answer Louis had been both expecting and dreading. He knows by now how this all works, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it. “Noone is going to try and kill me when I’m washing myself.”

Harry pulls his phone out from the black trousers that are still covered in blood from the brutal altercation that morning and begins to thumb at the screen. Louis can’t see from where he’s standing but he thinks Harry’s sending a text message. Harry doesn’t look up as he responds. “You saw what those men tried to do to you earlier, and there is a high price on your head Master Tomlinson. If it were me, that’s exactly when I would make an attempt on your life; when you are at your most vulnerable.

Louis doesn’t want to think about it, what Harry had to do to protect him. The blood’s not just on Harry’s clothes. It’s on his hands too, and no bath or sink or soap could ever wash that away for either of them now. Harry had quite literally put his life on the line for Louis just hours earlier yet seems completely unaffected. Maybe that’s why he’s so good at what he does. “You’d be waiting until I was naked in the bath before having a pop at me? I think that says more about you than the people after me.”

Harry slips the phone back into his pocket and walks over to the window of the tiny bedroom, pulling at the closed heavy curtains enough to peek out, seemingly resolving to not give Louis the satisfaction of an answer. Or maybe he knows Louis doesn’t need one, that Louis is simply using any means he can to deflect from his own anguish at the situation they have found themselves in.

“I’ll just stink then,” Louis says to his back.

“Suit yourself.”

Louis decides in that moment to make a run for the bathroom door, and almost manages to close and lock it but Harry is too fast, having possibly anticipated the move before Louis even finished the thought process. He shoulders the wooden door back open with an unexpected ease considering Louis is putting his entire weight into it and spins round to grab at him. Within seconds Louis is pinned up against the far wall, both of his arms twisted up against the base of his spine, his wrists in Harry’s unrelenting hold, thighs pressed to the brick surface by Harry’s knees. Louis gives a moment of deliberation to whether it would be worth struggling or even screaming, but knows it won’t get him anywhere worth mentioning.

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” Harry says into his ear. He’s sounds more frustrated than angry. “You continue to disobey my clear instructions and make my job as difficult as you can.” And therein lies the rub. Louis is just a job to him. Harry wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t being paid to, and handsomely at that, and that thought torments Louis more than the thought of having men out for his head. That the one person he has to put his faith in to keep him alive is doing it for the money, for the possible kudos from unknown figureheads. Louis is suddenly exhausted.

“Yes. I’ll have a bath and you can watch me. I don’t care. I just need to get the day off me. Please.”

Harry doesn’t watch him. He’s present while Louis bathes and cleans himself of the dirt and sweat accumulated over the previous forty eight hours since all this began, but he doesn’t so much as glance at Louis, choosing to stand at the side of the window and look out, eyes constantly roaming for any possible sign of danger. He remains, as ever, steadfast in his professionalism. 

And maybe it’s that, in fact, that torments Louis the most.


	2. Circus AU & Chocolate of Romance

The second gift arrives the following week.

On Tuesday afternoon Harry finds a shiny gold box with a large forest green bow waiting on his dressing table. The gilded italic writing of the ribbon indicates it’s from Valvonas, the expensive Italian deli in the centre of town. Harry couldn’t even dream of buying food from there, what with his measly weekly wage, so whoever bought what’s inside is definitely pushing the boat out. When Harry lifts the lid, he discovers delicate, handcrafted chocolate truffles and a card with the words ‘For Harry, because you drive me wild xxx’, complete with a neat sketch in pencil of one of Liam’s lions on it. Harry brings the card closer to his face to inspect it since his glasses are tucked into the bottom of his bag and he doesn’t want to dig them out. Yep, that’s Rufus alright.

Harry drops the card back in the box and replaces the lid. It’s not that he’s not grateful, it’s just, well, a bit confusing. He’s a clown. A literal clown. He’s the light entertainment sandwiched between the main events, padding out the show between the acts people have actually come to see with his juggling and silly songs and cream pies in his face. Why would anyone be interested in him?

He could understand if it was Liam, all noble and fierce while he commands the king of the jungle to do his bidding, or Niall, loud and effervescent in his role as Ring Master. Even Zayn, the beautifully tattooed contortionist would be a more expected recipient of anonymous admiration. Harry was quite simply unremarkable in comparison.

The one person who was no stranger to recognition from both nameless and candid fans was Louis Tomlinson. Having long been the star attraction of the Carlton Bros Big Top Circus, crowds came from far and wide to see the famous flying trapeze artist in the flesh. An enigma to spectators, he let his talent speak for itself during showtime. Whilst still lithe and beautiful on solid footing, Louis’ unmatched strength, poise and dexterity simply radiated when moving at 30ft above the ground. It was as if the air treated his body differently to anyone else, as if gravity couldn’t get a firm enough grip on him to pull him down like it could another human. When he flew, he really flew, and everyone in his wake was forever spellbound by the vision of this aerial enchanter.

Harry had been fascinated by him from the very beginning. He routinely watched Louis’ rehearsals in rapture from the shadows of the bleachers on high. Louis most often trained with his partner, a friendly girl with flame red hair from a box by the name of Deborah. She sadly wasn’t in his league, no-one was, no-one could be, but Louis was kind and patient and warm with her as they practiced hour after hour, day after day. Louis was like that with everyone that worked and performed at the Carlton Bros, it was only the paying customers who were given the stoic front. Harry never stood a chance.

It wasn’t safe to openly lust for another man in a setting such as this though. Harry would be in fear of his livelihood should he make his yearning for Louis known, so he continued to suffer in silence. And Harry knew that Louis had plenty of admirers, including a plethora of girls, a new one lead to his private trailer after every show to do God knows what. Risking everything for someone who saw Harry as simply a mild mannered jester didn’t seem like a smart move.

“You busy?”

Harry’s body jerks in shock at the voice from the doorway of the group changing room, his thoughts of Louis flittering from his mind in an instance. “Uh sure Niall, what’s up?”

Niall makes his way into the room. “Need a hand bringing in a beer and soda delivery, James has a bad back. You mind?”

“No, I’ve got time,” Harry replies having checked the time on the clock on the far wall.

Niall comes to rest leaning against the dressing table while Harry slips off his heavy jumper. “Ooooh, what are these?” Niall picks up the box containing the gifted confectionary before Harry can answer and lifts the lid, his eyes widen at the note placed on top. “Well, well, well, Harry Styles has a secret admirer. And a fancy one too. Any idea who they’re from?”

Harry’s cheeks pink up as he shakes his head wordlessly. He doesn’t have a clue and it goes against his very nature, not being able to thank someone for their gift.

“I’m sure whoever she is will make herself known soon enough. You don’t go to Valvonas for their truffles for just anyone, I can tell you that much.” He places the box gingerly back down on the table and smiles warmly at Harry. He doesn’t seem as surprised by the turn of events as Harry is, but Niall has always radiated positivity in the eight months that Harry has worked with him. “I’ll head out and meet you at the delivery entrance, yeah?”

“Sure,” Harry nods, watching as Niall bounces off, whistling the introduction music to their nightly show.

Harry retrieves the note from the box again, stuffing it into the front pocket of his bag, hoping against hope that the artist does indeed reveal themselves sooner rather that later, if for no other reason than to aid Harry in putting this whole odd circumstance to bed.


	3. Anger Born Of Worry & Airport/Travel Au

Louis already needs a drink and the plane hadn’t taken off yet. This absolute nutcase was doing his head in.

“And then I thought, no, I shouldn’t take any pills in case we do crash and I have to be alert enough to put on my life jacket. So I haven’t taken anything. But I have them, from the doctors. I’m not like a crazy pill popper or anything. I don’t normally take any medication if I can help it. I prefer exercise and drinking plenty of water. And vitamins, plenty of vitamins. I eat a lot of fruit, you see. So yeah, no pills for me. And I do yoga, which might help if the pressure in the cabin destabilises and we have to put our masks on, because controlling your breathe is a big part of yoga. Have you done yoga? It’s great, really relaxes me. Have you checked your seatbelt for take off? I know they come round and check them visually but you can never be too careful. I’ve checked mine, see? All good to-”

“What’s your name?” Louis suddenly asks the stranger in seat 28F beside him.

The man goldfishes for a second or two, seemingly confused that Louis decided to interrupt his rhetoric. “Harry, my name’s Harry.”

“Cool, well I’m Louis. Hold my hand.” Louis places his arm on the arm rest between them and holds his palm open.

“What?” Harry looks at him, suddenly furious. “Why would I do that? I don’t even know you? Are you some sort of sexual deviant? Or are you trying to swindle me? My watch isn’t expensive, it just looks it. I need to move seats.” He reaches up and goes to press the bell for the air hostess but Louis grabs his hand intertwines their fingers together before he has a chance to.

“You’re going to squeeze my hand as hard as you possibly can whenever you feel nervous OK? Even if you think it’ll hurt me. Just squeeze.” Harry struggles for a second but then goes limp, allowing Louis to bring their arms back to lie on the arm rest.

“You’re not going to murder me and steal my identity when we land are you?” Harry eyes him suspiciously.

How did this guy even get to that level of thought process. “No. I promise.” The plane engines fire up and Harry’s fingers instantly tighten around Louis’.

“What’s your favourite movie?” Louis asks him. Harry tries to look out the window but Louis shakes him to get his attention back. “Come on, what is it?”

“Um… Love Actually?”

“Oh I’ve never seen that one. What happens in it?” Of course Louis has seen it, everyone has seen Love Actually, but Harry doesn’t need to know that.

“Uh.. well, its just a bunch of people at Christmas and they all have separate stories about love but like, they’re all connected.” The plane begins to move and Harry’s hand grips even tighter. Louis schools the wince in his face as best he can. Jesus this bloke is strong.

“Oh come on, you can do better than that? How does it begin?”

Harry sighs and wiggles in his seat. “OK so, like Hugh Grant is the new prime minister right…?”


	4. Massage Fic & Aroused By Her (His) Voice

Louis groans when he reads the name on the reception diary.

“Jess, any chance there’s someone that could take my three o’clock?” Every appendage of Louis’ body is mentally crossed in the desperate hope of a positive answer.

Jess follows his eyes down the computer screen of the salon’s schedule and hums. “You mean this one? Harry Styles, full body massage?”

“Yep,” Louis confirms curtly. His muscles already feel stiff with apprehension at the thought.

Jess moves and clicks the mouse a few times. “No hun, I’m afraid not. Is there a problem?”

“Not really, just the guy is a bit of a talker and I have a headache,” Louis tells her. That’s not strictly true. Harry doesn’t talk all that much more than any regular customer Louis has. No the problem is, you see, Harry moans, like, really moans.

It’s not very loud or even all that lewd sounding, and anyone else conducting the massage would most likely be perfect fine, it’s just, well, Louis finds it so fucking hot. Add that to the fact Harry is a walking, talking advert for men too gorgeous for Louis to even dream of getting with, he has to actively think about oozing puss and dirty bathrooms and Margret Thatcher in her underwear to prevent him from getting hard whenever he’s touching Harry’s stupidly perfect body.

“Oh well he’s already changing in your studio.”

“He is?” Louis’ eyes bulge out his head. Fuck, he doesn’t even have time to splash some cold water on his face. And he’s wearing his tightest yoga pants. This cannot end well.

“Yeah got here a few minutes early. Mentioned he’s had a really hard week and was looking forward to you getting stuck in and really working his kinks out,” Jess explains. If Harry says that straight to Louis’ face in that gravelly tone of his, Louis might as well quit now. He wouldn’t get another job in the industry with a sexual harassment charge against him.

With his head hanging low he slinks off back to his massage studio without another word to Jess, the only thought running through his mind is how the hell he’s going to get through the next hour of his life unscathed.


	5. Kink & Blind Date

Louis can smell him as soon as he walks in. The whole bar probably can. It’s not that hard really, an alpha this close to his rut stinks. But fuck if it doesn’t make his mouth water. Louis can see out the corner of his eye nearby alphas and omegas bristle. This bloke has taken a real chance coming out like this, but Louis had insisted they meet face to face in a public setting. He wasn’t going to make the mistake again by doing it privately. If Louis had known how far gone the guy was, he might have backed out out of sheer pity, but now he’s here, now Louis can smell him and see how absolutely fucking gorgeous he is, he couldn’t back out now if he was paid to.

“Omega twenty eight?” The guys asks, having clocked the yellow sunflower on the table beside Louis’ glass. He’s only had two dark rum and cokes. He wants to be fully aware of everything that’s going to transpire over the next couple of days.

Louis nods. “That’s me. Kiwi Alpha right?” He holds out his hand, expecting the guy to shake it and take a seat on the opposite side of the booth, but he doesn’t, he ignores the gesture in favour of sliding right up in beside Louis and pressing their sides together.

“Fuck you smell incredible.” Kiwi noses at Louis’ chin and normally he would be instantly put off by just how strong the guy is coming on, but he gets it, because the scent filling his nostrils is insane. He’s never been with anyone like this before. It’s taking everything in Louis’ power not to slick up right there in the bar.

Louis pinches Kiwi’s chin to move his head so they are properly face to face. He can see a thin circle of moss green around blown pupils. “Yeah baby, so do you, but need to confirm the ground rules. You done this before?”

A low growl vibrates in the base of Kiwi’s throat as he shakes his head and Louis lets him wrap an arm around his waist to pull him closer. Yeah, Louis didn’t think so. His messages before this meet up had screamed first timer. Louis loved first timers, and they usually agreed with everything Louis requested. There were the basics that the premium matching service guaranteed; no real names given out, most recent medical screening confirmed by an external source so it couldn’t be doctored, police background check and the like. Louis had his own too though. Along with the public meet, he had to be allowed to text his best friend and roommate Liam every four hours, and if he didn’t, Liam would alert the authorities. The door had to remain unlocked, Louis was not to be tied up or handcuffed in anyway, and could leave at any time without question. He’s been burned before and wouldn’t be again. Louis was practically a professional at this now.

It was Louis’ single, greatest kink; rut sex. He knew loads of omegas who hated it, and he understand why. There were alphas out there that were vicious and borderline violent during their ruts and it could be dangerous, but for Louis it was the ultimate sexual high. Being used, knotted, bitten and bruised, filled up with so much come he could barely walk, he lived for it. The sounds, the smells, the feeling of burning flesh against his own while he got fucked into oblivion, there was nothing that could match it. The extortionate membership fees to the website were well worth the money.

Kiwi moves to pull his face from Louis’ grip and bumps their noses together, speaking against Louis’ lips. “I’ll do anything you want sweetheart, anything, but you gotta let me take you back to mine and fuck you, fuck you hard. Shit, you’re stunning. I don’t think I could leave this bar without you darling.” Jesus, Kiwi was practically foaming at the mouth.

Louis had been pretty sure up until that point but now it was definite; he was in for the time of his life.


	6. Poorly Timed Confession & Detective AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Caution - Mentions of violence/crime scene***

This was bad. This was really, really bad. The poor lad was shaking like a leaf.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” Harry asks him.

Louis nods his head, but the clenched hand resting on his mouth and the other holding onto his stomach say otherwise. There’s sweat dripping down from temples. He is definitely not fine.

Harry takes a step towards him out of earshot of the first attending officers. “Do you want to go outside for some fresh air?”

This time Louis swallows roughly and croaks out “no, I’m fine. Please. Continue.” He gestures with his hand for Harry to carry on the investigation. Harry narrows an eye at him, wondering whether he should pull rank and tell him to leave.

This was exactly what Harry has been afraid of when he’d heard his new partner was transferring from the fraud division. Detective Inspector Tomlinson was clearly qualified in criminal investigation and came highly recommended, but he simply wasn’t equipped for this line of work. Why he had requested a transfer into the serious crimes unit when he obviously couldn’t handle the sight of a dead body was a complete mystery to Harry. Their first two weeks together had gone relatively smoothly but that was only because there hadn’t been any serious crimes to note of. That all changed when they got the call twenty minutes ago.

Harry takes one final look at Louis’ pleading face and decides to give him the opportunity to redeem himself. He turns round and moves back into the middle of the room again.

“Simmonds right?” he motions with his head to one of the officers.

“That’s me,” she replies, stepping forward.

Harry had heard good things about her, rising star of the newest intake. “Talk me through it please constable.”

She takes her notepad out of her pocket but barely glances at it before she begins. “We received a call at 23:47 from a Mrs Aldershott from flat 7b, directly above this residence, regarding raised voices and what she believed to be a domestic disturbance earlier in the night followed by loud music for approximately one hour. Not that uncommon for the block, but she was concerned due to having believed this residence to have been empty for at least a month. By the time we arrived, eighteen minutes later after the call was placed, there was no obvious sound but the front door was ajar. We entered the premises to find the victim here. Once confirming he was deceased, we called it in.”

Harry nods and surveys the room. “Was this the position he was in when you arrived?”

She shakes her head. “No, he was on his stomach, but we turned him over to check his breathing.” He imagines it would have been a shock to turn the victim over to find his face caved in.

Harry looks down at the victims arms. “Any signs of his hands in the flat or murder weapons?”

“Not that we can find, but we didn’t want to disturb the scene too much before forensics got here.” Great news, the number of scenes he’s had ruined by rookie cops is irritatingly high.

Harry looks over his shoulder at Louis, who currently has his eyes closed, and coughs. Louis jumps at the sound. “Thoughts Tomlinson?”

“Well, uh… The removal of the hands and the damage to the teeth structure indicates that the perpetrators didn’t want the victim to be easily identified,” he pauses to swallow, possibly the bile rising his throat, "however the body has been left at the scene of the crime and the sloppiness of the removal of the hands indicates lack of forward planning. Either they didn’t plan to kill him here or they didn’t plan to kill him at all.”

“They?” Harry turns to him fully.

Louis is now as white as a sheet. “There are two sets of foot prints of fresh blood, one leading to the kitchen is that of a heavy work boot, size eleven or twelve. Those heading to the bathroom and bedroom are of a slightly smaller training shoe, size nine or ten. The victim is wearing shoes that fit neither description.”

Fuck he’s good. Shame he’s an absolute pansy when it comes to actually dealing with this stuff head on. Harry winks at him and gets a weak smile back.

Harry reaches a hand into his pocket and retrieves a plastic glove, slipping it over his right hand and crouches down beside the victim, gingerly lifting the right arm.

“Was removal of the hands carried out before or-“ Harry is cut off by a whimper from behind him and he turns just in time to see Louis running out the door. He places the arm back down carefully and stands back up straight again, excusing himself to the officers to head down the hallway of the flat and out the front door. He finds Louis throwing up straight onto the concrete walkway that lines the front of the block.

“Jesus, I knew this was bad for you but come on?” Harry says, not the most sympathetic of people at times. You had to be hard in a job like this.

“I’m sorry,” Louis whines before retching again but thankfully nothing comes back up. “I can’t… uh… I can’t do this.”

Harry chuckles flatly, but starts rubbing at Louis’ back. “I got that much from the vomit mate. My question is why sign up for it if you couldn’t hack it?”

Louis squeezes his eyes shut while still hunched over and pauses for a few seconds, while Harry’s hand continue to sooth in circles over his spine. He then slowly straightens up once he’s deemed his stomach has finished emptying itself. Harry pulls some tissues out from his pocket and hands them silently to Louis to clean his face up.

“So?” Harry presses when Louis is done.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll speak to the chief about transferring back to fraud tomorrow.” He sounds resigned.

“It does matter. You’re good at this, apart from the not liking the blood bit. I just need to know where your head is at. Why did you transfer in the first place?”

“Because of you,” he says quietly.

That was the last thing he expected Louis to say. “Me?”

He nods solemnly. “Um, yeah. Like, I saw you at the company picnic back in June and thought you were gorgeous and then you hosted those seminars on profiling a couple of months later and you were so confident and charismatic, I thought you were just the best thing I’d ever seen. Iwanted to work in your department and get to know you a bit first so when they said there was a space I applied but then ended up getting made your partner so couldn’t even ask you out if I want to and I also realised I fucking hate blood. Like I can do first aid and that fine but that in there is something else.“ He cocks his head towards the flat like Harry might not know where they just were.

Harry wants to laugh. “You took a job because you fancied me?”

Louis huffs and looks down as he plays with his fingers. Harry reaches out to stop them, causing Louis to look up him with wide eyes. Harry smiles, willing him to continue. Louis takes the cue. “Sort of yeah. Like I was interested in learning more and getting new experience but you were also a big part of it.”

Harry nods as he takes the information in. He’s surprisingly elated at the turn of events. Finding a hot, intelligent, gay man who is neither put off by your job nor strangely interested in it is hard to find these days, Harry has tried. “I see. I do unfortunately have a strict rule about not dating my co-workers or partners.”

Louis’ face falls. “Yeah that’s fair.”

Harry squeezes the fingers he’s still holding onto of Louis’ hands. “Good thing your transferring back out my unit though eh?” he grins.


	7. Teacher AU & Locked In A Room

This had turned into an absolute disaster. Harry checked his watch to see what the time was. Nope, he didn’t have time to leave and come back. Maybe he could feign an emergency and say he had to go? But then he’d be letting the kids and the school down, and he knew he wasn’t going to do that, he was just going to have to suck it up.

When Harry has signed up to be a chaperone for the school’s charity sleep over, he had been so excited. It was going to be great fun as well as supporting an important anti-bullying message, which he was fully behind. But he had turned up at the school gym to help set and discovered that _he_ was here.

It took Harry all of about two minutes to find out that one of the trolls from the maths department had cancelled last minute and Mr Tomlinson, Louis, had stepped in to take her place. If Harry had known he was coming he could have prepared, both mentally and physically, at being locked in a room over night with him. And he was not prepared to share a gym floor with the love of his life.

OK maybe that was reaching, but he definitely had a crush. He hadn’t had much of a chance to speak to Louis since he had started at the beginning of academic year, but there wasn’t much reason for a French teacher to speak to a chemistry teacher was there? Harry had of course surreptitiously looked in Louis’ classroom a few times on the way to the staff room and always smiled to himself when he saw Louis in his lab coat and safety goggles. How he made science look that sexy was to be forever a mystery.

But alas he was here, and he was going to see Harry is his pyjamas. In his _Spiderman_ pyjamas. Yes, Harry had bought Spiderman pyjamas because he usually slept in just boxers which of course was inappropriate for a school event. Then there was the sleeping bag he had bought. It had love hearts on it. Rainbow love hearts. Giant, brightly coloured, rainbow hearts of love that you could see from space. He had literally picked the brightest sleeping bag you could possibly imagine so there was absolutely no way he could hide in the back, he was going to be seen whether he liked it or not. And then there were the cupcakes he had baked for the snack table. Oh God, please don’t let Louis see the cupcakes.

“You need a hand there?”

Harry coughs from where he’s laying out bottles of water on a trestle table that will form the refreshment stand, attempting to clear the tar and nerves from his throat. He turns to face Louis head on. “Oh um, sure… thanks. You could start putting out the cartons of fruit juice if you wanted?”

Louis smiles his gorgeous smile. “No worries Harry.”

Is it bad that Harry is delighted Louis even knows his first name? Harry points him in the direction of the cases of juice to start unpacking them, trying and failing to not look at Louis’ bum every time he bends over to pick up a new case. It should be illegal how well he fills those grey joggers out. 

They work in silence side by side for a couple of minutes, until the water is all out and Louis is finishing up the juice. Harry knows he needs to move onto to the food table and lay out all the cakes they are going to sell to add to the charity fund, but he really doesn’t want to with Louis here, because he’s going to ask questions.

“So what’s next then boss?” Louis asks him as he folds the cardboard in half and places it with the pile beside them, ready to be taken to the recycling bins outside.

Harry tries to think fast. “Um, not much. You could always ask Evelyn if she needs help with anything?” Evelyn being the organiser of the whole event.

Louis shakes his head. “Evelyn sent me over here to you. Said you needed me desperately and I wasn’t to take no for an answer.”

Harry’s eyes widen. “Did she?” He turns round to catch Evelyn’s eyes, before she quickly busies herself with papers on the signing in desk, embarrassed she’s been caught staring at the pair. That meddling minx. That’s the last time Harry tells her _anything_.

“Yup,” Louis says, bringing Harry’s attention quickly back on him. He’s grinning so hard his eyes are crinkling. He is so cute. “So what we doing next?”

Harry sighs. “Oh um, the cakes need put out.”

Louis nods and takes the lead, marching over to the second trestle table and grabs the first tupperware box he finds. And obviously it’s Harry’s. Harry trails after him.

“Oh my God. Are these? Are these sheep?” Louis pulls out a cupcake decorated with fluffy white buttercream icing and black fondant legs and face. He holds it out to show Harry. “Look, someone made cupcakes as sheep!” he squawks, giggling loudly.

Harry can feel himself go red. “Yeah, um, that was me actually.”

Louis’ pulls the cupcake cake to look at it again and then back at Harry. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, um, because you know, like people count sheep when they are trying to sleep? I thought they were cute?” He braces himself for ridicule.

“Mate, these are so good! I love them!” Louis looks genuinely awe-struck. Harry doesn’t get it but he isn’t going to question him, he’s too relieved Louis isn’t laughing at him openly.

“Thanks, I’ll save you one.”

Louis shakes his head and places the tupperware box on the table to start laying them out front and centre. “Oh don’t worry, I’ll buy one. Actually, I’ll buy two, then we can have one each over a coffee later yeah?” He glances up as if to check Harry heard him properly.

Harry’s heart starts beating harder as he smiles small but nods determined. “Sounds good to me.” So maybe being locked in a room with Mr Tomlinson all night wasn’t going to be so bad after all, Harry thinks.

Then Harry remembers his fucking pyjamas.


	8. The Big Damn Kiss & Star Crossed Lovers

Louis could hear the footsteps thundering towards him on the other side of the door before there were three loud thuds against it. He knew who was on the other side, but was filled with nerves with what was about to transpire. Time was not on his side however, so he took the cue and crossed the creaking wooden floorboards to the unlock the door and open it wide.

“My leige,” Harry gasped as he moved into the room, Louis almost stumbling backwards as he gave him space to. “Are you hurt?”

Louis shook his head. “No solider, I am not hurt. But you shouldn’t be here.”

Harry makes a performance of placing his bayonet onto the dressing table and taking off his red coat and helmet, leaving him in his white shirt, form fitting trousers and heavy boots. His hair, tied with ribbon at the base of his neck, is a little sweaty, rogue curls escaping from the usually immaculate style Harry was seen with normally. 

“I had to come. I had to be sure you were well. I saw what that bastard of a man did to you,” he spits, his voice full of anger and poison. He makes to walk towards Louis, but Louis holds up his hand. Harry immediately stops. 

“Now hold your tongue. That is your king you speak so boldly of, I will have you remember that,” he tells Harry firmly. 

Harry loosens the collar of his shirt. “I remember him having you taken away by the guards kicking and screaming, that’s what I remember.” Louis thinks back to the scene yesterday. It hadn’t been an easy one to go through. 

“I was not in danger, it was a skirmish at best. He was simply exhibiting his authority.” 

Harry takes a few steps forward, so he is now a couple of feet away from Louis. “With his own son? His heir to the throne? I could murder him for treating you like that,” he says, his face ruddy. 

Louis shakes his head. “That is treason of which you speak, you’d surely meet your death.”

“And an honourable death it would be, my prince, if was in your name.” He tries to reach out for Louis, but Louis isn’t positive they should be touching just yet so he moves back a step out of his grasp. 

Louis smooths down his shirt, fidgeting as a reaction to the butterflies in his stomach. Harry always gives him butterflies even though he shouldn’t. “You cannot say these things.”

“I can and I will. I would die and die again if it meant you were safe. You know I love you, and I am sure as the sky is blue you love me too. You are simply too afraid to admit it.” There is so much passion in his words and voice, Louis is inclined to believe them for real. 

“Of course I am afraid. We cannot be together, you know this.” There are definitely things he would love to admit to Harry, but he knows that could never happen, given the nature of their relationship.

Harry takes another step forward and finally takes Louis’ hand in his. “We can. We can run away together and never look back. You have told me you don’t want this life, and I have means to take you away from it.” He brings the hand up to his mouth and kisses Louis’ knuckles, below which is adorned with jewels fit for royalty. Louis blushes, wants to melt into it, but he knows he can’t.

“You have no means,” he scoffs as he pulls his hand away and begins to pace the room, knowing Harry is following his every move. 

“I do. I have transport that will take us to the western shore where we will meet a boat that will sail  us to a foreign land where we can be together without fear of recrimination.”

Louis stops briefly, to turn with a look of shock. “You think my father wouldn’t send someone after me, wouldn’t send his whole army after me?”

“If you were to fake your death he wouldn’t. A note written by your fair hand left here, and your robe washed up on the shore. He would have little reason to not think you had been swept away with the tide.” 

Louis continues his pacing again. The big moment he knows is coming is getting closer and he’s glad to have a reason not to look at Harry directly. “What a preposterous idea. I never leave the castle.”

“You do when you travel to visit with your betrothed Lady Eleanor. I can intercept you easily.”

Louis stops just shy of where the light starts pouring in from the window, so he can be seen clearly without the blinding sun in his face. “I cannot ask this of you. You will most certainly perish and I will forever remain under lock and key until my father’s last breath.” He’s trying to control his breathing because they’re almost at crunch time. After weeks and weeks of build up between the the pair, Louis knows the culmination of the beguilement between sovereign and civilian is within reach. 

Harry finally pulls Louis into his chest and cups his cheek. Louis probably shouldn’t have gone so willingly, but he can’t help it, he’s been dying for this to happen, pretty much since he first laid eyes on Harry. “Is your freedom not worth the risk? Am I not worth the risk?” Harry asks him, almost nose to nose as he strokes Louis’ face softly, tenderly.

“Yes,” Louis tells him, because he’s meant to, even though any normal person watching this would know it’s an idiotic plan and they would probably be killed before they walked out the castle’s gates in any other circumstances. But it’s out of his hands. 

“Yes?”

Louis nods. “Yes, I cannot live without you by my side, and as my lover and not just my guardsman. And that will never happen as long as we stay on this land. Any plan is better than no plan at all. When do we leave?”

Harry’s free arm coils around Louis’ waist to press him closer to his body. “Three days, we leave in three days at dusk my love, and I will take you to the paradise you belong to.”

And here they go; The. Big. Kiss. 

It’s starts of timidly, but Louis wants to make it as good as he can if it’s the last one he’s going to get today, maybe ever if things go _completely_ pair shaped between him and Harry, so he holds on tightly to Harry’s hips and opens his mouth a little. Harry maybe forgets where they are and takes the signal, because he deepens it quickly, dipping his tongue and connecting it with Louis’ who is only too happy to respond. Louis does get a fright when Harry’s hands reach down to the back of his thighs and hoist him up because that wasn’t in the script that Louis can remember but he just figures Harry’s trying to look as passionate as he can. Louis’ definitely _feeling_ how passionate Harry is, as he continues to get snogged senseless, to the point where he gets so lost in it he murmurs happily into Harry’s mouth. God, to be kissed every day by Harry Styles would be a dream. But alas it’s all over too soon.

“AND CUT!” Niall shouts from the directors chair. 

Louis instantly gets dropped with a heavy thud like a lead balloon and Harry let’s go of him completely, stepping back and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before turning and motioning to his assistant off screen for something, probably disinfectant knowing him. Oh for God’s sake, yeah he’s an actor but does he have to be so bloody dramatic?

“Great work lads!” Niall tells them both as he walks towards them. “Loved the passion in the whole scene, and nice work lifting Louis up at the end there Harry, really sells it. Think that will be enough for today as the light’s going to go down pretty soon, but we can pick it up tomorrow morning, 8am. We may need to do Harry entering the room again as Louis stumbled a bit and it might look at little off, but I’ll check the dailies tonight and see what I think. You guys got any questions?”

“No,” Harry barks and stomps off without another word to either of them.

Niall sighs as they both watch Harry’s back and turns to Louis, opening his mouth to say something but Louis stops him before he has the chance. “It’s not getting better Niall, the man fucking hates me.”

Niall nods, knowing that there is no point in trying to convince Louis otherwise. Everyone knows it, the whole cast and crew know it. “I’ll speak to him again.”

“I really don’t see the point, and I would quit but I really need this gig.” And he should quit, because he’s not sure if he can cope with another two months working with Harry as his co-star on this t.v drama together, when it’s clear that Harry has a pathological hatred for Louis, for no apparent reason. 

“Well good thing you too are both great actors then eh? Because your scenes together are explosive,” Niall praises. 

Louis thanks Niall with a weak smile. Normally Louis would take the compliment, but as far as he’s concerned, his own performance of being in love with Harry doesn’t really take much acting at all. And just like for the star crossed lovers Louis and Harry are playing, this whole thing is doomed to end in tragedy.


	9. Criminal AU & Fake Married

Harry sighed and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. He could feel himself on the verge of going absolutely apeshit at Louis again and if he did he knew it fall on deaf ears, because Louis is a fucking arsehole at the best of times, never mind when he knows he’s getting to Harry, and Harry doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

Louis had left his dirty laundry all over the bedroom again, and there were plates in the sink that Harry point blank refused to clean, and the bathroom, Jesus Christ the bathroom. Harry doesn’t want to think about what he gets up to in there. For a man with not very much body hair he seems to find a way getting it absolutely everywhere, along with God knows what else.

Harry had tried to be nice, for the first couple of weeks at least, had tried to politely ask Louis to pick up after himself but nothing worked with him, he simply continued to behave like a teenager, sitting on his arse all day playing the PlayStation. And he’s twenty five, not fifteen. Or maybe he’s twenty six? Not that it matters, Harry couldn’t care less how old Louis was, he just knew he was old enough to know better.

“Harry?” Louis says from where he is perched on the sofa, eyes glued to the television as he frantically presses buttons on the controller.

Harry stops in the middle of his path to the kitchen holding the laundry basket on his hip to stare at the back of Louis’ head. “For hundredth fucking time you need to call me Alex,” he says through gritted teeth.

Louis doesn’t bother pausing the game or turning round to acknowledge Harry properly. “I don’t see why? We’re in the house? No one is going to hear us in here?”

“Because, Will,” he emphasises, “if we don’t get used to calling each other by our fake names in private, we might call each other our real names in public. Or do you forget how this whole witness protection thing works?”

“Oh darling, how could I forget when you are here to constantly remind me every five minutes.”

He’s might be saying it in the sweetest voice ever, but Harry knows there is no way Louis would mean it. Louis is just as frustrated with this whole situation as Harry is.

As bad first dates go, Louis’ and Harry’s has to be right at the very top of the list for how fucking awful it could have possibly gone. After all, the last thing you would ever expect to happen after swiping right on tinder, is that you walk what you think is going to be your one night stand out of your flat after a horrific date but pretty decent shag, only to witness the armed robbery of the jewellery store across the street by one of London’s most prolific gangsters ever and be sent to the arse end of nowhere together by police to wait for the court case otherwise you might be killed to keep you quiet. Yeah, their first date had been THAT bad.

“Whatever. Why were you calling for me anyways?” Harry asks.

“Can you grab me a beer from the fridge?”

God he really hates him. Harry is saved from answering, and from killing Louis with his bare hands, by the doorbell ringing.

“I’ll get it!” Louis shouts, jumping up from the couch at a speed Harry hasn’t seen in the entire time they have been forced to live together in this sham. “Might be someone that doesn’t do laundry for fun eh?” Louis winks as he darts passed Harry.

Harry carries on to the kitchen and dumps the basket in front of the washing machine before he hear’s his name being called a couple of seconds later. Well, his fake name anyways. He runs a hand down his face and puts on a fake smile and goes to see who it is.

“Honey, this is Megan, one of our new neighbours,” Louis tells him as he walks up behind him and comes to a stop in the doorway. “She’s just telling me about a dinner she is hosting this weekend and wanted to invite us to welcome us to the area. Isn’t that lovely?”

The petite woman with mousy features at the door smiles meekly at them both as Harry grins back at her. “Great to meet you Megan, I’m Alex, Will’s husband.” Harry leans forward, nudging Louis in the process, to shake her hand. “And thank you so much for your offer of dinner. We’ve got a couple of things on this weekend but we will try and make it work.” He has absolutely no intention of going to this woman’s dinner, but doesn’t want to be rude. He places a hand on Louis’ shoulder to keep up the ‘happy couple’ persona, Louis going one further and wrapping his arm around Harry’s waist and pulling him in to his side.

“Oh that would be great, everyone is so excited to meet you, we’ve never had any gays in the village before,” Megan says excitedly. Harry knows she means well but it’s still a ridiculous thing to say. Where they hell have they been moved to?

“Oh well, don’t believe the papers Megan babes, we’re actually just like normal humans. Only differences being fighting over who takes longer to get ready and we’re also well aware of the benefits of plenty of lube,” Louis tells her. Harry wants to burst out laughing but he bites down on his tongue. Megan’s mouth opens and closes and opens again and she begins to splutter what could be an apology.

Harry shakes her head. “Don’t listen to him, he’s just being an idiot. Why don’t I take your number and we’ll give you a call when we know what our movements are?”

She nods and after they exchange details, giving her their landline number in return as they aren’t allowed mobiles, police orders, they wave her off and Louis closes the door.

“You like winding people up, don’t you?” Harry asks Louis as they both collapse onto the sofa side by side. Harry really should put the washing on, but since he’s got nothing to do today, or any other day for that matter for the foreseeable future, it can wait.

Louis glances at him our the corner of his eye. “Only the ones with a stick up their arse.” That was definitely a dig.

Harry mentally groans. He can’t do this, he needs to speak to the police department again and see if they’ll change their mind about keeping Louis and Harry together. Apparently it’s safer and less suspicious for a married couple to move to a remote village, rather than a guy by himself, but Harry can’t take much more of this. He could be stuck with the arsehole for a year before the trial goes a head. Another eleven months of this. At least he’s hot as fuck though. Harry could do worse than have Louis to look at every day.

“I’m so bored,” Louis says after a few minutes of them both lost in their own thoughts.

That’s of no surprise to Harry. Louis tells him he’s bored what feels like fifteen times an hour. “You could do the dishes?” he offers.

Louis rolls his eyes and playfully pokes him in the thigh. “It must be exhausting for you to be so perfect all the time eh?”

“Fuck off, what do you expect me to do? Entertain you?”

“That’s exactly what I want Alex,” Louis grins. Oh God, Harry knows that look. He’s been getting that look twice a day since they got here.

“You want sex again, don’t you?” They fucked this morning, three times, but no matter how many times Harry gets him off, Louis always seems up for more. Harry would be flattered if it weren’t for the lack of literally anything else to do instead. And it’s not exactly a hardship when Louis is the best shag Harry has ever had.

“Finally! I’ve been hinting at it all day! God you are so slow,” Louis tells him as he takes off his t-shirt and throws it on the floor beside him. Harry will very probably be the one to pick it up.

Harry shakes his head but he can’t keep the smile from his face. “You could just ask me you know? Instead of riling me up first every fucking time.”

Louis smirks as he crawls into Harry’s lap and wraps his arms around Harry’s neck. “And where, my dear fake husband, would be the fun in that?”


	10. Locked In A Room & Did They Or Didn't They?

Niall is sitting having some beans on toast at the kitchen table when he hears keys in the front door jangling. His eyes flicked to the microwave, confirming that the time is still too early for it to be Liam as he’s in lectures for another couple of hours, so it must be Harry.

“Hello? Anyone home?”

“Yeah, kitchen!” Niall shouts back. He continues to eat while he waits for Harry to enter the open plan kitchen and living room of their student accommodation, shovelling the last couple of mouthfuls in and setting the fork on the plate just as the door opens and Harry comes almost tumbling in, dumping three heavy bags onto the floor in the middle of the room and collapsing onto the sofa. 

“Welcome back stranger,” Niall says as he stands, collecting his plate and empty mug and placing them in the sink. “How’d it go?”

“Yeah, good.” Niall turns around in time to see Harry kick his shoes off and lie along the the sofa, closing his eyes. 

Nope, Niall is not accepting that. He wanders over and shoves at Harry’s legs to get him to move so he can sit down. “Good, that’s all I get? Good?” 

Harry grunts and barely lifts his legs so Niall can slot underneath them, before plonking them back down on Niall’s lap. Niall’s surprised he hasn’t asked for a foot rub yet. “Well it was. I don’t know what else you expect me to say.” He sounds tired.

“Okaaaay,” Niall drawls, “how did it go with Louis?” If it weren’t for the fact that half of Harry’s body is pressed against Niall’s, he wouldn’t have felt Harry’s body tense imperceptibly at the question. Surely he must have know Niall would ask. 

“Yeah, fine. He was fine.” Harry’s eyes remain firmly closed. 

Fine. Fine was worse than good. And neither were good enough considering the whining that Harry had done in the lead up to his trip away. “Are you seriously going to lie there and give me that ‘fine’ shit? Did something happen you don’t want to tell me about?” 

“Nothing happened. It was just fine.”

Niall drums his hands against Harry’s shin softly. “You expect me to believe that you and Louis, the, and I quote, ‘secret love of your life’, were alone in a cabin in the middle of nowhere for three weeks and nothing happened? You were panicking for months before you went away with him.”

Harry wiggles his bum a bit and rearranges a cushion behind his head, trying to get comfortable. “I was not. And it was a research trip. All we did was research.” 

“Something must have happened. You weren’t out studying nature and shit the entire time.”

Harry scoffs. “Nature and shit. Thank’s for putting my whole degree in such lovely terms Nialler.”

“You’re avoiding the question,” Niall observes. 

“I’m not avoiding anything.” Niall can hear real frustration coming through in his tone now. “I’m shattered alright? I’ve been travelling for like seventeen hours. Leave me alone.”

Niall shrugs, even though Harry isn’t looking at him. “Fine. But this isn’t over. I’ve become too invested in this whole soap opera drama to not get the full story.”

“There is no story,” he says through his clenched teeth.

“Cool, you won’t mind me asking Louis’ flatmate Zayn if he knows anything then.” 

Harry’s right eye opens cautiously. “You know Zayn?”

Niall nods and grins. He knew that would hit a nerve. “Yup. We’re in the same computing programming tutorial.” 

Harry sits up on his elbows, his eyes widening and looking far more alert than when he entered the room. “Don’t. Don’t say anything to him. Please,” he practically begs. Oh this is good. Whatever this is, whatever the story is that Harry is refraining from telling him, it’s really good.

“I won’t if you tell me what happened.” Niall knows he’s being a dick, but if he needs to pull out emotional blackmail to get to the bottom of whatever Harry is being secretive about, he will. They normally tell each other everything. 

“Nothing happened. Please leave it.”

“Fine. But only because you’re tired and grouchy.” Niall decides then and there to wait until Harry is a better mood before revisiting the conversation. Which he will absolutely be doing. 

Harry flops back down onto the sofa with a huff. “Thank you.”

“You want a cup of tea?”

Harry shakes his head and pulls his phone out of the pocket of his joggers, and goes to set an alarm of some sort. “Nah, just gonna snooze and try and get back on a normal sleep schedule. 3am starts are a bitch.”

Niall taps at Harry’s legs to prompt him to lift them up again so he can get up. “Cool, I’ve got lectures in an hour so I’ll leave you to it.” Once he’s upright, he stretches and turns to see Harry roll over to face the back of the sofa and grumble something incoherent. Niall does indeed leave him to it.

Niall heads off to the university campus a short while later, his walk there predominately taken up with thoughts of Harry’s strange lack of desire to share the details of his trip, and the possible scenarios that could have led to it. One thing’s for sure though, Niall is finding out what the hell happened in that cabin, whether Harry wants him to or not. 


	11. Roommate AU & Coming Out Fic

Harry could feel his body trembling as he sat on the bed and waited. He knew this moment had been a long time coming, but he wasn’t sure how his flatmates were going to react. There was a light knock on the door as it was opened and Louis appeared.

“Hey babe, you ready? Niall and Liam are waiting for us,’ he said from where he stood in the doorway.

“No,” Harry mumbled as he shook his head and twisted one of his rings around his finger.

Louis walked into the room and closed the door behind him before sitting on the bed beside Harry and slung his arm around Harry’s waist, giving him an affectionate squeeze. “What do you mean no? Thought we had discussed this?”

Harry pressed himself further into Louis’ side and lay his head on Louis’ shoulder. It always made him feel better to be close to Louis, but his heart was still thumping. “I know Lou but what if they kick off? What if they don’t accept it? What if they want us to move out and not be friends anymore?”

Louis kissed the top of Harry’s head, before resting his chin on it. “They won’t, because they’re good guys and they like us and they openly support the LBGTQ+ community.”

Harry hummed before he replied. “There’s a difference between supporting the community and living with a gay couple who you thought were just mates though.”

“Yeah it’ll take a bit of readjustment for all of us, but I’m sure they aren’t going to be phased at all. Niall will just make some quip about not having sex in the communal areas and Liam will ask if he can go to a gay club with us because he likes the music. And baby, think how good it’s gonna be when we can stop all this sneaking about and keeping how we feel about each other and about ourselves from our best friends.” Harry had heard this all before, but he was still so apprehensive. There were no guarantees. 

“I know, it’s just a lot alright? I’ve only just told my family.”

Louis stroked Harry’s arm. “If you aren’t ready we can do this another time, whenever you want.”

Harry stayed silent for a minute, thinking how lucky he was to be going through all this with someone as good as Louis. Not everyone had that luxury. “I’m ready,” he whispered. 

“Yeah?” Louis checked, leaning away and encouraging Harry to look at him. “I love you remember? Whatever happens, I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Lou.” Harry leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the mouth, before standing up and pulling Louis up with him. “Come on.”

They walked through the hallway of the flat together and straight into the living room. Liam and Niall were already settled side by side, happily chatting away but their conversation slowed to a halt as Louis and Harry took the opposite sofa. 

“Hey guys, thanks for meeting with us. Sorry for sounding so cryptic on the group chat, but the reason we asked to have a house meeting is Harry and I have something to tell you.”

Liam and Niall bother sat up a little straighter, but their faces remained fairly blank. “OK…” Niall trailed off.

Louis looked at Harry and whispered to ask if he wanted to go first, but Harry shook his head and looked at the floor, not able to handle looking up at the boys across from him in fear he might chicken out completely.

“Right,” Louis began firmly. “The first thing I want to say is, you guys are our best mates and the last two years we have all been living together has been amazing.”

“Yeah bud, we couldn’t agree more,” Liam said, Niall nodding his head in agreement. 

“Good, good.” Harry could hear the shake in Louis’ voice now. “But I uh… haven’t always been totally honest with you about who I am, because to put it bluntly, I like men in a romantic sense. I’m not sure what label I want to give myself yet, because I still like women too, but I like men and wanted you to know that.”

“And I’m gay,” Harry blurted out beside him. He didn’t mean for it to come out like that, but the nerves were too much and he felt like he might explode. Harry looks up to see both Niall and Liam nod, but they seem to sense there is more to come and stay quiet.

“Yeah, and Harry is gay, and um…” Louis reaches over and takes Harry’s hand in his with soft smile before turning back, “we’re together, as a couple, in love.”

Harry holds his breath for the reaction but Liam and Niall continue to stare at them both for a few seconds. Eventually Niall says. “Is this you trying to tell us you want to move out together or something?”

Harry shakes his head and his eyes dart to Louis who looks just as concerned by the question. “Um, no? We just thought you should know? Do you want us to move out?” 

Liam chuckles and sits forward, resting an elbow on his knee. “Of course not, I guess we just don’t understand why you are telling us again?”

“What do you mean again?” Louis asks. 

Liam and Niall look at each other confused for a moment before Niall announces, “Harry already told us.”

Harry rips his hand from Louis’ and stands up, his body unsure what to do but it seemed like the natural reaction. “What? When? No I didn’t?”

“Uh, yeah, yeah you did mate,” Niall confirms. “Last month when Louis was back home for the weekend in Donny, and you got really drunk at your sisters and came back to the flat plastered, you told us you and Louis are in love, and in rather horrifying detail.”

“Oh my God, what do you mean horrifying detail?” Harry sits back down, bracing himself for what is about to come out.

Liam takes over. “You spoke about Louis’ eyelashes for about ten minutes whilst trying to open a can of tinned tuna to make a sandwich because you refused our help, and then when you finally got the tuna open you cried because you said Louis usually makes your tuna sandwiches and that he meets you with a packed lunch every Tuesday and Thursday because he’s the sweetest boyfriend ever, and-” Liam pauses for a moment, as if struggling to decide whether to continue, but does anyway. “And then when we told you we knew that you were sneaking around because not only are you attached at the hip, you also aren’t as quiet during sex as you probably think you are, you said that’s probably because Louis’ got the best arse in the world and it needs to be worshipped in every physical way possible, sometimes twice, and it’s not your fault if you make him scream while doing it.”

Harry is absolutely mortified and can feel his face turning bright red. Louis simply laughs and reaches out to stroke Harry’s thigh. “I get the bum thing babes, but the eyelashes?”

Harry can’t help be a bit mad. “You shut up,” he scolds Louis, before turning to the others. “And you two, why didn’t you say anything to me the next day? Or in the month that followed?”

Niall laughs again. “We have? We ask you all the time what you and Louis have planned that night together, or for the weekend, or if you wanna join us at the pub or have the flat to yourselves?”

Crap. They have been doing that. How did Harry not notice? He sinks back into the cushions. “Oh.”

“Granted we never said ‘do you and your boyfriend Louis want to have the flat to yourselves,’ but we thought it was implied,” Niall adds.

“I guess I just thought you were letting us watch what we wanted on TV for a change and watching the football at the pub,” Harry pouts.

Louis is still laughing beside him. “You’re an idiot,” he leans in to say in Harry’s ear, but his tone is filled with humour. He pulls Harry in close. 

“I know. I’m sorry,” Harry mumbles back. He’s going to get ripped about this for years to come probably, but at least it’s all out in the open now.

“Don’t be,” Louis says before posing a question across the room. “But to clarify you guys are fine with us being together and living here as a couple?”

Both Liam and Niall nod enthusiastically. “Totally, as long as you’re happy.”

Harry turns and kisses Louis on the lips before intertwining Louis’ fingers with his own with a dopey grin. He feels silly for ever doubting they wouldn’t be completely fine with everything, and he’s convinced now he has the best friends possible. He doesn’t take his eyes off of Louis’ beautiful face before speaking again and confirming for them both. “Yeah, we’re really happy.”


	12. Mutual Pining & Sleep Intimacy

It was happening again.

Louis could hear Harry through their shared wall and it was like a blow to his insides to hear the pain, the anguish in Harry’s muffled voice, knowing what he was going through. Louis reaches across to his bedside table and grabs his phone and brings it to his face. He blinks slowly and squints at the bright screen, having just been woken up, and acknowledges the time; 2:16am. Earlier than three nights ago. He’d been woken up at nearly 4am then.

He replaces the phone back and stretches, before slipping out from under the duvet, his almost completely naked body shivering in the cool air of his bedroom. He had got into the habit of keeping his window open overnight with the warm summer temperatures but tonight there was a soft breeze. He pads quickly across to the corner of his room where there’s a chair piled with still suitable to wear clothing and grabs a pair of joggers and a t-shirt, tugging them both on over his form. He grabs his deodorant and gives a couple of quick sprays to his underarms before walking out of his room.

When Louis opens the door to Harry’s room, he’s greeted by a now familiar sight; Harry writhing uncomfortably in his sheets, sweaty, loudly murmuring mostly incoherent words. Some words are clear as day though, like ‘stop!’ or ‘please no!’ or variations there of. It had been going on ever since they moved in together five months ago and Louis still has no idea what Harry is dreaming about. He’s knows it’s nothing good though. 

The first couple of times it had happened Louis had ignored it. They had only known each other a few weeks and to be frank he hadn’t been a hundred percent sure exactly what he was hearing and didn’t want to intrude. A few nights later, however, Louis had come home late from a night out and had heard Harry again, clearer this time through his door rather than the thick brick wall that divides their bedrooms. When he had knocked loudly to check if Harry was OK, he had woken a startled Harry, seemingly embarrassed a being caught in a nightmare. Louis assured him that everything was OK, which seemed to comfort the dazed man, his eyes wide and hair wild as he nodded silently, before turning over and going back to sleep. They didn’t talk about it much after that night, or any other time since then, but Louis began to check on Harry every time he heard him.

Now though, now the men had developed a weird routine. It had been just over a month ago, when Harry had been particularly distressed, and hadn’t woken up when Louis had gone into his room. When Louis had shaken a sobbing Harry awake, Harry had grabbed at his t-shirt and pulled him onto the bed and begged him to stay. Louis had stayed.

Louis moves over to what he considers, rightly or not, his side of Harry’s bed and slides underneath the covers, reaching over and stroking at Harry’s arm. He doesn’t immediately respond, so Louis knows he’s in deep.

“Don’t. I’m begging don’t,” Harry pleads to demons unknown, his legs squirming, tangled in the knotted sheets while he grips at his pillow, facing away from Louis. 

Louis begins whispering at Harry’s back. “Harry. Haz. It’s Louis. You’re safe sweetheart, you’re safe.” He’s found that he usually gets a better response speaking to him that simply shaking him awake. He repeats similar sentiments for a couple of minutes or so, his heart bleeding at hearing Harry in turmoil, but Harry’s body suddenly calms, and rolls over. He doesn’t open his eyes, but blindly grasps at Louis and pulls him in close. Louis goes willingly, shuffling across the mattress.  

“It’s just me Haz, it’s just Louis. I’m gonna keep you safe.” He wraps his arms around Harry and strokes his back, as Harry fiercly clings to him, his face pressed against Louis’ neck. Harry’s skin is feverishly hot in places but he’s also damp, the front and back of his t-shirt soaked with sweat, droplets of perspiration from his temple rubbing off onto Louis’ chin. Louis doesn’t care, he’s used to it now.

“They won’t stop Lou. They won’t stop.” Louis has no idea what Harry means as he weeps into Louis’ skin, his body shaking with the force of his tears. He could be talking about the whoever he is dreaming about, or the dreams themselves, but it doesn’t matter to Louis. He will never ask Harry until Harry is ready to talk about it himself. And until that day comes, Louis will be here to keep Harry as comfortable and secure as he can.

Louis swallows the sob of his own caught in his throat. “I know darling, but you’re OK now. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” Harry doesn’t reply, he simply grips tighter, intertwining their legs together, pressing as much of himself to Louis as he can. 

Louis doesn’t stop the caressing of Harry’s back or the gentle kisses to Harry’s hair and neck until he feels Harry go slack with sleep in his arms forty minutes later. Then, and only then, does he let himself fall asleep too.

***

When Harry’s alarm wakes them both up a few hours later, and Harry untangles himself from Louis to turn and hit the snooze button, he lies back on his back and rubs his eyes as Louis clambers up to walk to the door and return to his own room. 

“Thanks mate,” Harry says simply as Louis leaves.

Louis glances over his shoulder to look at him and grins, his hand paused on the door handle, comforted to see Harry returning a small, crooked smile. He’s appears to be over the initial embarrassment he had shown after the first time Louis had slept in his bed. 

“Anytime,” Louis says just as simply back. 

And there is nothing in the world he means more than that.


End file.
